Hydroponic tomato growers can reduce installation costs of pre-wound tomato hooks by using the very efficient JS Hook System, available through A.M.A. Hydroponics, part of A.M.A. Plastics Ltd., of Kingsville, ON. The JS Hook System reduces tomato hook installation time by as much as 30%, meaning significant labor savings.

Pre-wound tomato hooks save growers time and allow consistent twine adjustments as the crop develops. Hooks are unwound regularly to allow the crop to drop as the vines grow longer. Installing traditional hooks takes time, particularly due to the “freefall” having to be unwound as the hooks are installed. With the JS Hook System, from The Netherlands, there is already an unwound freefall so the entire hook hanging process moves quickly and efficiently, automatically dropping exactly the amount of freefall twine specified by the grower. There are no rubber bands or clips with the JS Hook System, so there is no waste on the ground from these.

Hooks can be shipped with one or two colors of twine in a single case, for example, all white or alternating a white hook and a green one.

Growers can specify the amount of twine they want on the hook and the length of the freefall. Hooks are available in 18cm and 22cm lengths, made from quality, galvanized steel, with accurate bending.

A.M.A. uses only the finest horticultural twines from Lankhorst Yarns, in 1/1,000; 1/1,200; or 1/1,500 qualities and several colors including: white; yellow; green; red; blue; black. Lankhorst’s Elite Horti Twine is the softest in the business making it easier on the tomato plants and because there is much less “ziz-zag” as it unwinds, free falls faster and straighter when hanging hooks.

A completely sustainable tomato crop growing option is available from A.M.A. Hydroponics. Lankhorst compostable Bio Twine on the JS Hook System or traditional hooks, combined with Deleco’s Bio-Clip and compostable truss support, offers the opportunity for the most sustainable and efficient end-of-crop disposal – 100% compostability – crop, twine, clips, truss supports. Combine this with The New Substrate, BVB Sublime, also from A.M.A. and you have crop and media disposal handled in an environmentally sustainable way. We even offer an eco friendly footbath solution called Bio-San. BVB Sublime offers increased control to the grower, increased production in the crop and becomes fuel at the end of the crop, lowering disposal and fuel costs.

You can see the JS Hook System being installed, and our leading edge line of hydroponics growing supplies at www.amahydroponics.com.

A.M.A. Hydroponics ships across North America. Contact Shawn Mallen at 800-338-1136 or [email protected].

Susan Relecom, Director of Development, Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada, accepted the 9^th annual donation from Rick Bradt, Managing Director, A.M.A. Plastics Ltd. on August 11, 2011 as part of A.M.A.’s effort to raise funds and awareness of the BTFC’s services for patients, their families and brain tumour research.  A.M.A. donates a portion of every Al’s Flower Pouch® sale in Canada to the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada.  Each year, many thousands of the Al’s Flower Pouches sold in Canada are printed with the BTFC logo and contact info in an effort to help patients and their families find information about their condition, a problem encountered by Rick, following his brain tumour diagnosis in 2000.  This year, we gratefully received extra funding help from our friends at BVB Substrates (BVB Sublime).  About 55,000 Canadians are affected by a brain tumour.  If you know someone recently diagnosed with a brain tumour, direct them to www.braintumour.ca, where they can find information, counseling and others in their situation.  The BTFC supports the brain tumour tissue bank and has been able to significantly increase their research grants in recent years.  There is a major project being considered that will need substantial funding over the next few years.

A.M.A. will be there to help and we hope our friends will too as we celebrate the 30^th Anniversary of A.M.A. Plastics, the 20^th Anniversary of Al’s Flower Pouch and the 10^th year of support for the Brain Tumour Foundation of Canada in 2012.

Watch for more information.  800-338-1136 or www.alsflowerpouch.com.